Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-08-24
The Rangeley Wholesale Poising Case
Puts on New Aspect.
Belief that Mrs. Burnham Arranged a
Deep Plot Against Her Husband,
Using Her Brother as Tool
A Hearing on the Case at Phillips Makes
Many Friends tor Mr.. Burnham.
FARkrNGToN, Aug. 90.

Franklin county. Locklin and Mrs Dun.
ham came out to Phillips yesterday, bringing
with them Searles, and after turning him
over to an officer, they returned to Rangeley
and arrested Durham and brought him back
to Phillips, where hearing will be had this
afternoon.
The story, as near as can be learned, is as
follows:
J. Wesley Dunham of Rangeley, who is
charged with hiring Searles to poisoning has
not lived with his wife for some time, she
making her home with Elijah Lockhn Last
July Durham had Lockln arrested and
brought be fore the trial justice at Phillips,
charged with committing adultery with Mrs.
Durham. At the hearing many witnesses
were examined, though only one expressed
positive knowledge of the guilt of the parties
and bis testimony was disputed in every par
tcular by the respondent. The justice found
probable cause and held the psrtiee tor the
September court, bail being given in $500
Since the hearing Mrs. Durham has contn-
| ued living with Lockln. Last Sunday the
two returned home from the field and found
Searles there, but nothing was thought of it
| as he is brother of the woman and had teen
back and forth previously. Searles is about
seventeen wears old and somewh hat feeble
minded. While Mrs. Durham was prepar-
| ing dlnner, she notice green powder scat
tered over some apple sauce cooking on the
stove, which excited her suspicion that some
thing was wrong, and upon examination
found quite q quantity of the powder in the
teapot and in dish of beans. Finally some
was noticed % Searles' coat sleeve. He was
accused OF attempting TO poison the family.
After considerable questioning he confessed,
but said that he had been hired by Durham,
who, Searles said, had agreed to give him
three dollars for doing the job. Searles
says that last Wednesday Dunham met him
and made him an offer. and as three dollars
seemed big sum to him, he accepted it.
Then Dunham, he says, went to Niles house
and stole the paris green and handed him a
package containing about half pound,
which he hid until Sunday morning, when
the contents were disposed of as above stated.
1t is said that Locklin employs quite num-
ber of hands on his farm, and had not Searles
been SO backward in disposing of the poison
quite loss of life must have fJllOwed, for
enough was put in various receptacles in
Lecklin's house to have killed dozen fami
lies. On the other side of the matter, it is
reported in Phillips that the whole thing is
a put up job of Locklin, Mrs. Durham and
Searles to get Durham out of the way so
that he cannot appear against them before
the grand jury. So far as we can learn the
parties in the affair are not first class people
of that section of the country. Further de-
velopments are anxiously awaited by every
body.
J. Wesley Durham of Rangeley was ar
raigDed this afternoon before trial justice j.
w. Butterfield in Phillips, on the charge of
attempting to poison the family of Elijah
Locklin of Rangeley, with paris green.
On account of the interest in the case the
hearing was held at Lambert hall. About
two hundred people were present.
B. Emery Pratt appeared for the defendant
and Prince A. Sawyer appeared for the COM
plainant
Lockln and two men in his employ testi-
fed to finding poison in the food at Locklin's
house, the same as was previously tele-
graphed, and also repeated the story told
them by Searles. Searles also reiterated
the story he previously told that Dunham bad
hired him to poison the whole gang, promis-
ing him So If he succeeded.
lCuHIldtu IS VI dSS duu hCuiuh etSt
and bears the marks of hard working man.
He gave his testimony in his own defense in
a straightforward manner which won him
many friends. He denied point blank any
knowledge of the whole affair. He had hired
no m an to do any poisoning, neither had he
bad any paris green in his possession at any
time for any such purpose.
The justice, however, held Durham in
$500 bonds for his appearance before the
grand jury in September. Bail was promptly
furnished, Luther Niles, at whose house it
was said Durham stole the poison, becoming
his surety.
Searles was also held in the same amount
and being unable to furnish bondsmen, Sher-
i'll Toothaker will take him to Auburn jail
tomorrow.
Locklin and his two hired men were held in
appear as witnesses.
Mrs. Durham staid at the Barden House
during the trial where she excited considera-
bic curiosity. She is quite good looking
woman, DuI. as U} sbdhuSE iSthai ASd, shS
got too much brass in her looks.
After hearing Dunhams testimony public
feeling underwent great change, and many
now assert that the woman is at the bottom
of the whole thing and that it is deep laid
plot to get Durham out of the way so that
she can live with Locklin unmolested, using
Searles, her half-witted brother, as cats
paw.
Durham, as some prominent citizens of
Phillips, say, could Just as easily have pro-
cured $50, 900 bonds, if necessary, as he did
the amount required by the justice.
The scene of the alleged poisoning is in a
house on the farm owned by Locklin Bros,
located near the Mountain View house at
Rangeley, and run by Elijah, the unmarried
brother. Mrs Dunham has been his house.
keeper for some time in spite of the obJec-
tions of her husband.